23 User Reviews of Carnival Dream Cruise Ship

myself and my hubby worked all year for this cruise, excited to
go on the biggest ship... mistake,,, will not happen again, ship
was beatiful, service excellent, people friendly, food ,,,aweful.
not any meal was nearly WARM,, shame they ruined the ship with the
cold food. going back next year, will be my 10th on carnival and
princess, but a lot smaller ship also not under the dining room had
no sleep on the dream from 2;30 to 5;00 aweful again... get the
problem with the food fixed..... thanks bb

Just got back from the Dream.The ship still has the "Carnival"
look,but with a few changes. More tile and chrome and less Vegas
style carpet. Overall it is a nice ship.Even though we had over
4000 people aboard, it was easy to find quit areas to relax. The
buffet was just so-so, while the deli,pasta,burger and burrito bar
was good but only open for lunch? the desserts looked nice but had
no taste to them. Could have done better on the food I think. Our
biggest complaint is with the sewage smell that showed up several
times a day and then went away. Once during the art auction we had
to leave the room due to the smell. We even had this happen in our
cabin several times. Our room steward said this has been a problem
since the ship was brand new. He said it has to do with the sewage
vent lines and weather conditions. we had a cloud 9 spa room and
really enjoyed it and the access to all the thermo rooms and pool.
Just wish the would expand the hours so they would open

earlier. I tried the steam room in the commen area of the gym
ladies locker room and found it very small (6-7 people) and it
smelled like it was not cleaned very often.What amazed me was the
amount of people walking around in these areas and restrooms all
around the ship barefoot! We found the room balcony to be a little
smaller than other Carnival ships.Maybe 40" deep and 7' long. With
two deck chairs and small table it filled it up.The shows were
alright but not great. Plus they seemed to lack entertainment all
around the ship. Alot of stupid trivia games that drew maybe 20
people to them. The checkin and departure was fast and easy as
usual with exception of the few people who slowed the line down by
trying to bring aboard a ice chest with several cases of water and
soda in them. This resulted in a loud shouting match with security.
Guess who won? So overall we had a good time but won't go out of
our way to book the Dream again. We bounce between Carnival and
Princess, and overall Princess is leading in our book. E-mail
malcolm@hughes.net if anybody has any questions

This was my first cruise with my family and it will be my last.
I was promised everything before booking and everything I was told
was a lie. I had specific soda requests before cruise and they
don't carry those products. I was promised the Carribean Cruise and
got Bahamas instead. We had free style dining and then was assigned
a time. The food was horrifing. The was only one buffet and it was
open for breakfast and lunch then closed at 2pm. There was nothing
on the ship we could even eat except the hamnburgers. The pizza and
pasta were nasty. The only meat they offered on the buffet was pork
and no vegetables only salsas for side items. The evening dining
room was even worse with nothing on the menu to order I requested
seafood or steak and was told by the staff I eat what was on the
menu or not at all. After 2pm there was no other choices of food
except evening dining room. No buffets, no sandwich shops no
desserts or fruits anywhere on the ship. There was two small pools
and if you

wanted to swim you had to wait until night when everyone went to
shows in order to get in pool. The activities were only short hours
of operation such as waterpark, ball courts, golf was only open
from 10-6 and there was three thousand people more than should have
been on the ship. You couldn't even move. The staff could barely
speak english and was absolutely useless with any type of help. I
complained to customer service and everyone else I could find
without success. This cruise with airline, hotel and rental car
included cost me over $6000.00 dollars and you couldn't pay me to
ever go on another one. This was by far the worst experience of my
life. Carnival Cruise Lines has to be the worst vacation specialist
ever!!!

Minnesota family of four cruising the first time with Carnival.
Hubby and I have sailed previously with Royal Caribbean once and
Princess twice. Our party included me (37), husband (45), and our
two girls (5 & 2). We chose this line because the Carnival Camp
kids program grouped kids from 2-5 and it would let our girls stay
together. Plus, Carnival will actually change kid's diapers!

We flew in the night before and rented a mini-van from Budget to
get to Cape Canaveral. We didn't bring our own car seats but were
able to rent a couple from Budget ($13/each). Much nicer than
lugging your own! They don't put them in the car for you so you
need to make sure to ask where to find them and then be prepared to
put them in yourself. Trip to Cape Canaveral was uneventful and we
stayed at the Country Inn & Suites right near Port Canaveral.
They upgraded us from a standard to a one bedroom suite! The room
was nice, clean, and quiet. For dinner we went to The Pig and
Whistle which is an English pub style bar and

restaurant that had that comfortable and well-used look. I had the
fish and chips and hubby had the hand-dipped deep fried shrimp.
Both were very good!

The next morning we had the complimentary breakfast offered at
the hotel, which had the usual suspects of scrambled eggs, sausage
links, potatoes, waffles, cereal, yogurt, bagels, muffins and
toast. It was a very decent breakfast.

We drove our rental car to Budget and turned the car in. A
shuttle was waiting for us when we arrived and within 10 minutes we
were on our way to the port. We arrived at the port around 10:40am,
embarkation took about 30 minutes and was fairly painless although
not sure what was up with the two security photos back to back? We
took our carryon bags and hung out at the Waves pool under an
umbrella and relaxed while waiting for our cabin to open at 1:30pm.
We dropped off our bags in the room, met our room steward, then
went off to explore the ship until the muster drill. Their Long
Island Iced Tea's were pretty strong, so after a couple of those I
was ready to nap with the kids back in the room.

Online we had been wait-listed for Your Time Dining but at
embarkation, we were assigned the 6pm dining time. Hubby went to
talk with the Maitre d' when he was available at 12:30 to request
moving us to Your Time Dining. He was told that they would be able
to let us know by 2pm the next day if they could accommodate us, so
that evening we ate at the Gathering (buffet) with the kids. We
were notified the next day that we had been changed to Your Time
Dining - Yay!

We decided to forego leaving the ship during port days, so our
days roughly followed this schedule -

7 - 8am Wake up and get ready 8 - 9am Eat breakfast in The
Gathering 9 - 10am Take kids to Camp Carnival 10 - 11:45am Workout
at the gym, shop the onboard stores, walk around, relax 11:45am -
1pm Pickup the kids from Camp Carnival. Spent time with them
swimming, playing mini-golf, walk around, etc. 1 - 3pm Drop the
kids off at Camp Carnival. Walked around, relaxed, etc 3 - 4pm Pick
the kids up and have a light lunch 4 - 7pm Kids take a nap, usually
the adults did too (or hung out on the balcony reading, listening
to music, watching the waves) 7 - 8pm Get the kids up and get ready
for dinner 8 - 10pm Take the kids with us to the Crimson Dining
Room. We had their meals come out with our adult appetizers and
then hubby would take them to Camp Carnival before we got our
entrees. 10pm - 12am Depending on the night, went to see a show,
watch a band, visit the Casino 12 - 12:30am Pick the kids up and
hit the hay

Embarkation: It was fairly painless and went fairly quickly. I
like how you were handed a zone number that they called to board
the ship, which prevented others from sneaking on earlier.

Room: We were on the Verandah Deck (Deck 8) cabin 8349. I loved
the location because it was a very short walk to the stairs and
elevators which brought us directly to the entrance to The
Gathering on Deck 10 and Camp Carnival on Deck 11. The balcony was
narrow but good enough for our needs. We were high enough that the
extended Promenade Deck 5 didn't hinder our view of the waves when
sitting down. The room was neat and clean and was kept that way by
the Room Steward every day.

Food: The Gathering had decent food and had a fair number of
choices. I did like the different food stations that offered pasta,
burritos, Indian, Pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs, and paninis.

The soft serve ice cream machines were also very popular with
the kids!

In the evening we dined in the Crimson Dining Room on Deck 4.
For the most part I thought the food was very good as were the
desserts. It is true that the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake was very
good and I'm not a big fan of chocolate.

Bar: We usually ordered either Tanqueray and tonics or Long
Island Iced Teas and both were quite good. I did think that the
bartenders for the most part weren't a very friendly group. They
were efficient but didn't seem to smile much. The bar wait staff
were much friendlier, however.

Entertainment: It seemed that there weren't enough of a variety
of activities to fill the days and nights compared to Royal
Caribbean, but we went with what was there. The Cruise Director
staff was good and I liked Butch the Cruise Director - he had a ton
of energy.

Don‘t miss the Love Game Show!

People: It was a younger, slightly rowdier crowd than other
cruise lines but it also created a fun atmosphere.

Debarkation: Because our flight didn't depart until 3:30pm, we
were one of the last to get off the ship which was called around
9:40am. We had to leave our cabin by 8:30 and made our way to the
Encore theatre on Deck 3. The lines were a bit long to get off the
ship and go through customs but it was waiting for the Budget
shuttle that took the longest. There were two ships arriving that
day so with all of the people being moved in both directions it
could explain the delay, but it did seem lengthy. Something to
consider if you're in a hurry to catch a flight.

I'm a cruise enthusiast, to me, cruising the open sea on a
luxury liner and visiting exotic ports of call is the ideal
vacation. I cruise more than the average person; I try to set sail
at least once or twice a year. I have been on over twenty cruises
with six different Cruise Lines, so I'm fully aware of the
standards of practice in the Cruise Industry and changes that have
occurred over the past decade.

I'm also an Accredited Travel Agent and I spent several years as
a Consumer & Travel Industry Sales Agent for The Walt Disney
Company. I'm an extremely detail oriented young man, and I think
outside the box. Needless to say, I can spot a burnt out light
fixture or a Crew Member chewing gum from the corner of my eye a
hundred feet away.

This was my fourth cruise with Carnival, which is about average
based on my personal cruise experience. My first and second
experiences with Carnival were excellent, John Heald, Carnival
Cruise Director, made it a most memorable vacation. John has to be
the best Cruise Director I have ever had the pleasure

of sailing with, and his "Bedtime Stories" are most entertaining.

My third cruise with Carnival was going well until an incident
with the Security Team ruined my vacation. I was traveling with a
Thirty-Five Millimeter Camera and using eight hundred speed film,
which should never be x-rayed. Even a low level security screening
x-ray will ruin that type of film.

While re-boarding the ship at a Port of Call, I explained to a
Security Crew Member that I was a Professional Freelance
Photographer and that Eight Hundred Speed Film, or "Scientific
Film" and it's sometimes referred to, should not be x-rayed.
Needless to say I lost the argument and a Security Crew Member took
my Camera Bag, which contained the camera and six rolls of used
film, and ran it through the x-ray machine without my consent. It
was at that point that I decided to never sail with Carnival ever
again.

I normally cruise with a group of seven friends, this year we
were shopping for a Cruise Vacation and narrowed it down to four
choices that were literally the same exact price. Our Choices,
listed in order of travel distance from home, were The Disney
Magic, The Carnival Dream, The Celebrity Solstice, and the
Norwegian Epic. We selected the Carnival Dream based on the
distance from home to the ship, the fact that Freestyle Cruise
Dining is a hassle for last minute cruisers, and that fifty percent
of the Cruise Ship's population would not be screaming
children.

Six years and nine cruises later, I decided to give Carnival
another opportunity. My friends and I booked a last minute Vacation
literally at the ninety-six hour cutoff time. We were to set sail
on the Flagship of the world's largest Cruise Line, what could
possibly go wrong?

We boarded the beautiful Carnival Dream in sunny Port Canaveral
shortly after noon on October 9, 2010. Besides The Oasis of The
Seas, The Carnival Dream is one of the most spectacular Cruise
Ships I've seen. After being a sea for a few hours I noticed that
the vessel was extremely stable in the water, I didn't feel Sea
Sick at any time while onboard.

Our Verandah Stateroom on Deck Eight Forward was average in
comparison to other Cruise Ships. I prefer to have a verandah door
that slides open rather than having to open it outward and jam an
object into the hinge to prop it open. Besides finding a Bobby Pin
on the floor between the bed and the window, the Stateroom was
immaculate.

The Stateroom Attendant was genuinely friendly and eager to
please. He was always very polite and conducted his business in a
stealth like manor. He rarely knocked on the door, he mysteriously
knew when the room was vacant and cleaned it to perfection when we
least expected it.

I was however disappointed with the quality of the Hand Soap,
Body Wash, and Shampoo products that Carnival provides, not to
mention the complete lack of a lotion product, especially on a
sunny Cruise Ship traveling in a salty ocean where Guests may
experience abnormally dry skin. I know that most Cruise Lines
provide premium name brand products; luckily I remembered that
Carnival provides substandard generic products, so I packed enough
toiletries to sustain us for a week. Just a friendly suggestion
that Body Wash and Shampoo products provided by a Cruise Line
typically smell like something Marine Derived or Natural
Botanicals, not lemon fresh.

I was also irritated to discover that we had some type of insect
infestation on the first night that seemed to linger on for the
duration of the cruise. Something was literally feasting on our
flesh while we slept. I believe that the Stateroom may have had an
infestation of Bed Bugs or something similar, the fact of the
matter is that something with a healthy appetite was in the
Stateroom eating us alive all week.

I contacted Guest Services and filed an inquiry about the bites
that we were experiencing, I actually had to sit on hold for longer
than five minutes before I was able to speak with a Guest Services
Crew Member. They reported the issue to the Housekeeping Team who
supposedly inspected the Stateroom and of course found no
infestation of any type. The situation was never fully resolved and
I'm angry that Carnival literally swept the issue under the
bed.

I also want to make a comment about the dark Navy Blue towels
that are issued to each person for fun in the sun use. The towels
are so much softer and more absorbent that the previous version,
however the color is an issue. These new dark Navy Blue towels
absorb sunlight and tend to heat up, I felt like I was on fire
while lying out in the sun on one of these super heat absorbent
towels.

One of my favorite things to do on a cruise is eat. If it's not
bolted down, I'm eating it. I may be a scrawny one hundred and
forty five pound guy, but I can eat.

I was extremely dissatisfied with the Dining aboard The Carnival
Dream. It probably had to be the worst part of the Cruise, and the
worst service I've ever experienced on any Cruise Ship. Imagine the
favorite part of your week long vacation becoming the worst aspect
of the experience.

We spent our evenings dining in the Scarlet Restaurant. On the
first night we sat at our assigned table promptly at 8:15pm. At
8:20pm, five minutes after arriving at the restaurant, we were
kindly asked by the Maître d' to move to another table.

We decided to go ahead a make the move in order to facilitate
the needs of the restaurant. We settled into a new table by 8:25pm,
ten minutes after arriving at the restaurant, unfortunately we
didn't meet either of the Servers until 8:35pm, twenty minutes
after arriving at the restaurant. At 8:45pm, thirty minutes after
arriving at the restaurant, we finally received the menus and
glasses of "Ship Water," whatever that means.

At 9:00pm, forty five minutes after arriving at the restaurant,
the Head Server took our order. In the interest of time, we only
ordered appetizers and entrees, and skipped the soup and salad
courses. At 9:15pm, one hour after arriving at the restaurant, we
received the appetizers.

The Entrees didn't arrive until 9:45pm, one hour and thirty
minutes after arriving at the restaurant. I explained to the
Maître d' that this level of service and the complete lack of
attention by the Head Server was not what we expected. The
Maître d' apologized and graciously offered us a bottle of
Carnival's Finest Free Champagne to make up for the issue.

We rushed through dinner in order to make the 10:15pm Showtime
at the Encore! Main Lounge. I want to make it clear that the Head
Server was unfriendly and provided extremely slow service. I also
want to make it clear that the Assistant Server was doing most of
the Head Server's duties and making an honest effort to serve
us.

After the Show and some other entertainment, we were kind of
hungry again, probably because we missed three of the five courses
at dinner and we were in a rush to make the 10:15pm Show. Like on
any Cruise Ship at midnight we headed up to the Lido Deck for the
Midnight Buffet. We arrived at The Gathering Lido Restaurant to
discover that the Midnight Buffet no longer exists on any Carnival
Cruise Ship.

Our choices were the Pizzeria or Room Service. The Pizza offered
at the Pizzeria looked like something you would see at a $4.99
Pizza Buffet; needless to say we opted for Room Service.
Coincidentally, the only midnight buffet offered on board consisted
of my body on a bed being eaten alive by the insect infestation in
our Stateroom.

When we returned to the Stateroom we took a look at the Room
Service menu, which seemed extremely limited. I remember Carnival
having a decent size Room Service menu, no cheese and fruit
platter, but a decent selection none the less. We eventually
discovered that page twenty seven was missing from the Green
Stateroom Information Book, which is apparently where most of the
Room Service Offerings are listed.

After receiving the missing Room Service Menu Page we placed an
order for two Hot Pastrami on Rye Sandwiches with Spicy Brown Deli
Mustard. Room Service on the Carnival Dream is Fast, Fun, and
Friendly! Within fifteen minutes we received two Cold Corned Beef
on Rye Sandwiches with Generic Yellow Mustard, which isn't even on
the Room Service Menu.

On the second evening of the cruise we arrived at The Scarlet
Restaurant and were seated at the new table promptly at 8:15pm. The
Head Server immediately greeted us and provided us with the Menus
and glasses of "Ship Water," yum. We never saw the Head Server
again for the rest of the Cruise.

At 8:30pm, fifteen minutes after arriving at the restaurant, the
Assistant Server took our Appetizer and Soup "or" Salad order. We
also asked for some Iced Tea / Lemonade to drink, because the "Ship
Water" sounded like it came from Carnival Waterworks. Realistically
the "Ships Water" is cleaner than any municipal water source, and
we realize that it's used in the ice and concentrated beverage
products on board.

At 8:45pm, thirty minutes after arriving at the restaurant, the
Assistant Server delivered the Appetizers. Keep in mind that the
menus were still on the table and we had not yet ordered the
Entrees, nor had we received the Iced Tea / Lemonade. At 9:15pm,
one hour after arriving at the restaurant, the Assistant Server
delivered the soup and took the Entree orders, still no Iced Tea /
Lemonade though.

At 9:30pm, one hour and fifteen minutes after arriving at the
restaurant, the Assistant Server delivered the Iced Tea / Lemonade.
At 9:45pm, one hour and thirty minutes after arriving at the
restaurant, the Assistant Server delivered the Entrees. After
dinner I approached the Maître d' and simply said "we would
like a new Dining Service Team or a third table assignment in
another area of the venue."

After the Show and some other entertainment we returned to the
Stateroom. That evening I checked the balance of my Folio and
noticed that there was an unauthorized charge in the amount of
$70.00 for Gratuities. I was upset to the point where I was
actually trembling.

How dare Carnival assumptively attempt to charge any amount of
currency to my American Express Card without my knowledge or
expressed consent. This is a gross violation of trust as well as
extremely poor etiquette. I declined the prepaid Gratuities option
during the reservation process and the "Important Notes" area of my
Guest Confirmation Email stated nothing about Gratuities.

It was at this point that I had the realization that the service
level at The Scarlet Restaurant was directly related to the onboard
gratuities practice. A service team who is working for Gratuities
should not receive said funds on the second night of a Cruise,
which is five nights prior to the completion of said services.
What's the incentive for Service Team Members to provide an
excellent service level if they are not actually working for an
incentive.

I immediately contacted Guest Services to dispute the issue;
once again it was virtually impossible to contact them by phone
without sitting on hold for longer than five minutes. I decided to
get dressed, walk across the Ship and down five flights of stairs
to Guest Services. Which brings be to another subject of concern,
there were eighteen public elevators on board and never one
available when you needed it.

When I arrived at Guest Services, the Crew Member was on the
phone. I patiently waited in the queue for almost five minutes.
When she got off the phone it rang again, I stepped up and told her
not to touch the phone. It upsets me to know that someone who
sitting around in their underwear and calling from the comfort of
their cozy Stateroom, has priority over someone that got dressed,
walked across the Ship, down five flights of stairs, and waited in
line for five minutes.

Fifteen minutes after the initial unanswered phone call, I was
able to voice my concern in person. I explained my issue to the
Guest Services Crew Member and asked why the charges were assessed
to my Folio without my knowledge or authorization. She simply
replied, "That's how it's done."

To me, tipping is a very personal thing. I have been on over
twenty Cruises with Six different Cruise Lines. Most Cruise Lines
provide labeled Gratuity Envelopes, some let you electronically
wire discretionary increments from your Folio to the individual
Crew Members providing your services, right from the TV in your
Stateroom. I have never been charged without knowledge or consent,
especially on the second night of a seven night cruise, and after
having horrible service in the Scarlet Restaurant two nights in a
row.

I politely requested that the charges be removed from my Folio.
At first the Guest Services Crew Member was hesitant, she asked for
an explanation. I simply took out my iPhone and explained that I
would call American Express and dispute the charge, and then file a
formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Needless to say, she decided to remove the charges from my
Folio. John Heald, Carnival Cruise Director, always said "at
Carnival, tipping is a very personal thing." I firmly believe this
practice and it actually makes me feel good to give a Service Crew
Member an additional fifty or one hundred percent more than the
suggested gratuities for providing excellent service.

The third day of our cruise was the first Sea Day, so we took
the opportunity relax and enjoy some of the Cruise Ship's Dining
Offerings. We quickly discovered that lunch at The Gathering Grand
Buffet, Mongolian Wok, Burrito Bar, Pasta Bar, and the Indian
Tandoor all close one hour earlier on Sea Days. Why would Carnival
close most of the Lunch Venues one hour earlier with a full
complement of thirty-six hundred Guests on board and obviously not
having lunch in a Port of Call?

The Grand Buffet at The Gathering Lido Restaurant had some great
lunch offerings, and while Salami and Bologna are popular Lunch
Meats, I was sick and tired of seeing them on the buffet every
single day. Perhaps the Salami and Bologna belong at the Deli, thus
making room for something more appealing on the Grand Buffet. The
Pasta bar was also a nice treat to have on board, even though I
marked Farfalle Pasta on my form and received Rigatoni Pasta.

We did like the fact that we could get an Iced Tea or Lemonade
at any time; I did want to point out that the beverage station
located at The Gathering on the port side midship appears to be
configured backwards in comparison to the other three. It's a
corner configuration with the cups located in the corner itself,
the ice machine is on the far left, and the beverage fountain is on
the far right; needless to say it was a constant time consuming
traffic jam of ten to twenty thirsty Guests going back and forth
all day and night.

We also noticed several other inconsistencies with Dining
availability. For example, the twenty four hour Pizzeria would
randomly close for an unspecified amount of time in the middle of
the day. Breakfast at the Scarlet Restaurant had ended thirty
minutes early when we arrived shortly after 9:30am on both Sunday
and Wednesday mornings.

We really wanted to experience the flavors at the Indian Tandoor
venue, so we saved that for the Sea Days because we had lunch
ashore on the days we were in Ports of Call. Unfortunately the
Indian Tandoor venue is only open for a very short two and a half
hours on Sea Days. In fact the Indian Tandoor venue was only open
for approximately twenty hours during the seven days we were on
board.

I have to say that I was sick and tired of seeing those Carnival
"Dear Guest" signs all over the place. When translated from
Carnival Language to English, "Dear Guest" means "Disappointment."
That is one memory about my vacation that I can do without.

We eventually made it to the Scarlet Restaurant for lunch on a
Sea Day. I felt like I was there for dinner, again with the
extremely slow service. We arrived at the Restaurant at 1:30pm and
did not receive the menus and "Ship Water" until 1:45pm, fifteen
minutes after arriving at the restaurant. Five minutes later the
Server returned to take our order and never even made an additional
beverage offering.

At 2:00pm, thirty minutes after arriving at the restaurant, I
got up from the table, walked across the restaurant to a Server
Station, picked up a pitcher of Iced Tea, and returned to my table
with it. I received a round of applause from other Guests in the
restaurant and all of a sudden had four servers sprinting across
the restaurant to the table. They attempted to remove the Iced Tea
Pitcher from the table and I declined, finally someone said that it
wasn't permitted on the table, so I eventually surrendered it with
hesitation.

I have to say that the Offerings available at the venues on The
Lido Deck were more appealing than those at the Scarlet Restaurant
for lunch. The Clam Chowder was interesting; it consisted of room
temperature Cream of Potato Soup with two, one inch, open faced
clams, one of which was meatless. We actually left the venue half
way through the entrée and headed for the Deli up on the
Lido Deck.

It was 2:30 on a Sea Day when we arrived at the Deli; it was one
of two venues that were open for lunch on a Cruise Ship with
thirty-six hundred passengers. Needless to say we had to wait in
line for fifteen minutes at the Deli. We placed our order for two
Hot Pastrami on Rye Sandwiches with Spicy Brown Deli Mustard, we
received two Hot Pastrami on White Bread Sandwiches with Yellow
Mustard, which wasn't even on the menu.

This is the second time and place that we ordered Hot Pastrami
on Rye Sandwiches with Spicy Brown Deli Mustard and received
something different. First of all, I can tell the difference
between Pastrami and Corned Beef, as well as Rye Bread and White
Bread. Second, these sandwiches are traditionally served with Spicy
Brown Deli Mustard, not Yellow Mustard.

If the Deli was out of Rye Bread or Room Service was out of
Pastrami, they should have specified that rather than assumptively
preparing something different in an effort to deceive us,
especially when said replacement isn't even on the menu. Also, it's
a Deli, and every Deli is stocked with Spicy Brown Mustard. I
eventually got a delicious Hot Pastrami on Rye Sandwich and added
my own Spicy Brown Mustard that I picked up in Saint Thomas.

I'm a big fan of Sushi; I eat it at least once a week. Having a
Sushi Bar on board was a big treat. Unfortunately the Sushi Bar on
the Carnival Dream was not at all up to par with its Offerings.

The majority of the "Sushi" was actually cooked, and most of the
time the Offerings were not served at a safe temperature. In fact,
"Sushi" should never smell "fishy" unless it's gone bad. For some
reason the Wasabi Sushi Bar was closed on Sunday and had non Sushi
Italian style Tapas on Wednesday, both were unsettling encounters
when we arrived at the venue.

The suspense was building as we got closer to our third evening
at the Scarlet Restaurant; it was becoming a TV Drama. Would we
have a new Dining Team or a third table assignment, what type of
drama would unfold? Find out tonight at 8:15pm on Carnival.

Once again we were seated at the new table promptly at 8:15pm.
At 8:16pm, one minute after arriving at the restaurant, the new
Service Team introduced themselves and took a few minutes to get to
know us as well. The Dinner Service was absolutely flawless from
that point forward.

The new Dining Team knew our names and our taste preferences.
They were extremely friendly and genuine. The service was so
seamless that we didn't even notice it; they were meticulously
catering to our every need before we even had a thought.

The offerings were average in comparison to other Cruise Lines.
The quality was good and a Lobster Tail Entrée is not
something that you will find on every Cruise Line. My evaluation of
The Scarlet Restaurant experience was average.

Towards the end of the cruise I was expecting to see the
infamous Chocolate Buffet that I have seen on every Cruise Ship. I
was extremely upset to learn that Carnival Cruise Lines has done
away with the Chocolate Buffet. Seriously?

Josh Waitzman was an above average Cruise Director, not
Excellent though. John Heald on the other hand is an excellent
Cruise Director; he sets the standard for all Cruise Directors in
the Industry. John's appeal is that he relates to Guests and has
the unique ability to visualize and create the ideal Guest
Experience.

Josh is a great Cruise Director and he has the potential to be
Excellent. My first impression of Josh is that he's insincere as
well as inconsistent. He comes across more like a used car salesman
rather than a cherished friend.

Despite the drama at The Scarlet Restaurant we were able to make
it to the Encore! Main Lounge for Showtime every night. I was very
impressed to see a live band for the Production Shows, that's a
rear treat on a Cruise Ship. Eddie C. & The Dream Show band
gave an excellent performance.

The Carnival Dream Dancers were also excellent, especially in
comparison to all the productions I've seen while working for The
Walt Disney Company. Desmond Dansby is an excellent singer, perhaps
one of the best I have seen on any Cruise Ship. Bert Rodriguez is
probably the best singer I've seen; he performs seasonally for
another Cruise Line and is the lead Singer in Finding Nemo The
Musical at Walt Disney World.

Simone Catalano on the other hand did not give a good
performance at any time during the Cruise; in fact some of the
karaoke sinkers gave a better performance. She was off pitch and
could not hit certain notes. I almost jumped ship when I heard her
sing "I Will Always Love You."

I was excited to see the Lido Laser Show on the first night of
the Cruise. Wow . . . that pretty much sums it up. What a complete
waste of time.

Other Cruise Ships that are half the size are able to have
elaborate fireworks presentations. I wasn't quite sure what I was
watching, and judging from the facial expressions and body language
from Cruise Director Josh, who happened to be standing next to me,
he wasn't impressed either. You couldn't really see the lasers
because smoke machines in an open air Lido Deck, on a moving Cruise
Ship, in a windy ocean, are virtually ineffective.

On formal night we attended the Captain's Celebration, which
traditionally has complimentary Cocktail Hour on every Cruise Ship
I've ever been on, unfortunately Carnival no longer partakes in
this cruise industry tradition either. First the Midnight Buffet,
then the Chocolate Buffet, and now Cocktail Hour at the Captain's
Celebration. I suppose that Carnival received an overwhelming
amount of feedback from Guests that wanted these offerings
discontinued, right?

The Uncensored Comedy Shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club in the
Burgundy Aft Lounge were a cruise highlight! Michael Macey,
Comedian, definitely needs to be promoted to Captain. I have seen
Michael on other Cruise Ships and he's one of the best in the
industry.

I enjoyed the concept of the Punchliner Comedy Club; however I
feel that the Burgundy Aft Lounge was at an uncomfortable capacity.
Some guest could not see the comedians and others had to stand
during the show. It may have been more comfortable in the Encore!
Main Lounge, which is where this type of show would normally take
place on other Cruise Ships.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Carnival Dream was
the Carnival Waterworks; I've never seen six waterslides on a
Cruise Ship. I do however want to point out a safety concern with
the two larger slides. The joints where each segment of the tubes
are connected are very sharp and scrape the rider's backs as they
slide over each segment of the slide. My back was in slight pain
and visually red after riding, in fact everyone who got off the
slides had red backs.

I was also impressed with the number of Spas, or Hot Tubs; I've
never seen eight Spas on a Cruise Ship. It should however be noted
that thirty-six hundred Guests sharing two pools was a bit
unsettling at times. Also The Hot Tubs on The Lanai Promenade were
inconsistent, the two that were Forward exceeded one hundred and
five degrees and the two that were Midship were actually cold all
week.

The Stateroom Attendant for the week and the Third Dining Team
for the last five evenings exceeded our expectations. We ended up
giving the Stateroom attendant a fifty percent bonus and we gave
the Head Server a one hundred percent bonus above the recommended
gratuities. Tipping is a personal thing and no one should ever be
forced into a prepaid situation, it's unethical.

I made an honest attempt to submit my personal feedback on five
different occasions.

First, I was expecting a comment card in my Stateroom on the
last night of the Cruise. Most Cruise Lines leave a comment card in
the Stateroom so that guests can sit down and collectively provide
constructive feedback. The Comment Card never appeared in the
Stateroom.

Two, I went to Guest Services, after calling them and sitting on
hold for over five minutes again, and requested a Comment Card. The
Guest Services Crew Member stated that the person who booked the
cruise would receive a Comment Card via email on the day of their
return home. The Electronic Comment Card never appeared in my
Email.

Three, I sent an email to Carnival Guest Care on Monday, October
18 and inquired about the Electronic Comment Card. I received an
email response three days later with other feedback methods. The
Electronic Comment Card was not an option.

Four, I called Carnival Guest Care on Wednesday, October 20 and
inquired about the Electronic Comment Card. I was told that we did
not receive it as yet because we still had an "open file" by the
ship, I can only imagine what the file said after the Dining
Service, Gratuities, and Insect Infestation issues. The Carnival
Guest Care Representative verified my email address and stated that
I would receive the Comment Card since I was listed as the Guest
who booked the Cruise.

My Stateroom roommate received the Electronic Comment Card and
submitted it without consulting me; he assumed that each individual
Guest would receive one, which is not the case. I emailed Carnival
Guest Care again and explained the situation. Guest Care explained
that the comment cards are only sent to individuals that are listed
as head of household and that in my case, the head of household on
my Past Guest Profile is my younger brother, and since my Stateroom
Roommate is listed as head of household on his profile, the system
automatically sent the survey to him, even though I booked the
cruise.

This makes absolutely no sense at all from a Guest perspective.
I formally request that I am made the Primary Guest in my Guest
Profile since I am the one who booked both this cruise and the
cruise that I took my younger brother on. So now this letter
represents my fifth attempt to provide feedback about my cruise
experience and I'm not even sure if it was worth my time and
effort.

Based on my personal experience aboard The Carnival Dream in
comparison to the twenty other Cruise Ships I have sailed on, this
overall experience was below average and did not meet my
expectations. Based on my Travel Industry background I cannot in
good conscious recommend this cruise to anyone that trusts my
judgment. I may not completely write off Carnival; however it may
be another six years before I trust the Cruise Line with my
precious Vacation Time.

Every Cruse has its pros and cons. I don't have extremely high
expectations and I'm not difficult to please. I want a fun and
relaxing experience at a fair price.

I hope this review finds you well and that you take it into
consideration when planning your Cruise Vacation. Carnival is a
good company and the biggest Cruise Line in the World. Now they
need to focus on becoming the best.

My wife, Ginny, and I cruised on the Carnival Dream from Port
Canaveral, Florida to the Eastern Caribbean ports of Nassau, St.
Thomas and St. Maarten, embarking on Saturday, October 9th and
disembarking on Saturday, October 16th. We live only 40 minutes
from the port so we drive and park at the port terminal garage
which costs $15 per day. We booked the Dream because it was
Carnival’s newest and largest ship. We enjoy large ships

SUMMARY The Dream is a beautiful ship, filled with familiar
Carnival venues and complemented by some new features. Previous
Carnival guests will feel comfortable with the layout and be
surprised by a couple of the additions. There were a lot of dining
choices, good food and excellent service.

We did feel, however, that Carnival seemed to come up a little
short in managing the larger numbers of people in its venues,
especially the deck 10 buffet, called the Gathering. There were
always delays, not necessarily long lines, but delays

The line also attracts families with children and could do a
better job of controlling the noise and activities in the cabin
hallways. Each evening there was celebrating,

discussions and unsupervised children in the hallways long after
bedtime.

EMBARKATION Guests were encouraged to check in as early as 10:30
AM. We received a telephone call confirming that fact. Boarding
began at 11:15 AM. Rooms were available at 1:30 PM. The embarkation
process was smooth. We arrived at the port at about !0: 45 AM,
parked our car, checked through security, checked in, had our ID
photos taken, and were on board shortly after 11:15 AM

OUR ARRANGEMENTS We booked cabin 7355 located near midship on
deck 7, conveniently located near the action on both the upper deck
restaurants and the decks 4 and 5 activities. We selected
“Your Time Dining” with dinner assigned in the Crimson
restaurant. We were pleased with both selections.

THE SHIP The Dream is Carnival’s largest ship. The design
of the public rooms, including colors and use of lighting and
glass, was excellent. The atrium area is especially colorful with a
lot of photo possibilities. The Lanai, a promenade on deck 5, is a
new feature. It includes several whirlpools, a deck circling the
ship, outside dining tables and chairs and hundreds of deck
chairs.

Dining and entertainment venues were centered on decks 3, 4 and
5 along with decks 10 and higher. We spent a lot of time on deck 5
during the day and there were plenty of options for things to do.
We don’t use the pools but they were central features for
many, many people. There were plenty of deck chairs scattered
across decks 10 and higher.

DINING AND FOOD The Dream had numerous options for dining
including the main Scarlet and Crimson restaurants. “Your
time” dining was hosted in the Crimson restaurant and deck 4
while scheduled dining for the early and late seatings were in the
two decks of the Scarlet and the lower deck of the Crimson
restaurants.

We tried the buffet for breakfast, the pasta bar, the deli, the
Mongolian Wok. The food was fine. We missed several options
including a barbecue on sea days on the lanai.

Cruising provides excellent opportunities to sample excellent
food. Our meals included cold fruit soups which are very tasty.
They included strawberry bisque, bing cherry and peach. We tried
very good entrees that included lobster tail and tiger shrimp, basa
filets, petit filet of beef, pork loin and deserts like cherries
jubilee. The pasta bar was nice. The Mongolian Wok was tasty but
beware the hot sauce! The deli sandwiches were also good, prepared
to each persons taste.

The buffet was a problem. It seemed like there were nearly
always slow moving lines. The cause, we concluded, was the
selection of foods available in each line and the order of their
arrangement. Carnival needs to solve this problem. There was plenty
of seating in the buffet area even on embarkation day.

SERVICE Service in all the areas was excellent. The staff were
friendly and accommodating. It was highlighted by our lead
waitress, Ulla from Latvia, and her assistants Janos and Gibson, in
the Crimson dining room. They were well organized, efficient, and
friendly, even on nights when they were extremely busy. Waiters and
waitresses in each of the venues were very good as were the staff
in the guest relations area. They were obviously well trained,
experienced and well managed. Our cabin steward, Arnold, and his
assistants were also very good.

THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT The cruise industry evolves to better
serve so there are frequently “new” features on
cruises. This was no different although we had experienced some on
previous cruises. Facial recognition technology was employed to
provide computer access to photos taken throughout the cruise. A
master photo was taken at embarkation and matched to your sign and
sail card. The system needs work. It was interesting, and humorous,
to swipe your card at the computer station and see whose photos
appeared. We never did find photos we wanted. Safety drills are now
held, and have been held for months, without carrying life jackets
to the muster stations. Nice. “Elegant Evening” has
replaced formal night. Dress is far less formal with many less
coats and ties appearing on “elegant evening” nights.
This is probably great for families with children. Gratuity
envelopes for wait and room steward staff were not distributed.
Gratuities are automatically charged to your shipboard account and
the envelope exercise has been eliminated, at least we never
received any. Guest survey sheets never appeared and there were no
announcements about them. That is a mistake. Carnival will receive
neither compliments of its operation and staff nor suggestions.
Electronic casino accounts are now mandatory although they are not
totally new. Every player needs to establish a PIN, then use it to
cash out when leaving a slot machine in the casino. We like the
system but it was very confusing for many guests. For gamblers
there are a lot of one and two penny slot machines and two
electronic poker tables. Room TV channels included no sports or
business channels. Sports channels were available on several large
screens in the casino bar.

DISEMBARKATION Disembarkation at the end of the cruise was
relatively smooth. Those picking up bags in the terminal did have
to wait longer than expected, probably because they were allowed
off the ship sooner than expected leaving the conveyer belts filled
with bags of guests still on the ship. We were off the ship and
home by 9:00 AM.

Disembarkation at the ports of call was efficiently handled with
minimal lines.

CONCLUSION The Carnival Dream is a very nice ship and I highly
recommend it for families, especially those with children. The
venues, dining, food, entertainment options and relaxation options
are very nice. The staff were very good. Ulla and her team were
excellent!

The venues did not appear to be enlarged properly to accommodate
the growth in guests. The “Gathering” buffet needs some
attention to speed the flow of guests through the lines.

Ah, another Carnival cruise! It was my husband's and I's 13
cruise, with 6 on Carnival. This was our kids (14 and 16) 4th, 2nd
on Carnival.

Before the Cruise: Stayed at the Cocoa Beach Hampton Inn, used
the cruise parking and shuttle service offered. It was easy and
efficient.

Embarkation Day: The Dream was the only ship in port that day.
Check in was quick, we were on board by 12:15. Rooms are available
at 1:30. We had room 7345, an outside balcony in a great location,
right next to the middle elevators. Also, it was easy to walk down
two floors to the Lanai, or up three floors to the buffet, without
your legs complaining.

Food was good. Ate breakfast in the Scarlet Dining Room most
mornings due to long lines at the Gathering buffet. We asked to
switch tables for dinner. Our first assigned table was in the back
corner in a little hallway. We switched to a large table right in
front, next to the maitre'd's. If you get table 416, MOVE! as soon
as possible. Pasta bar, upstairs in the Gathering, was a nice
touch.

The shows were all

excellent, as to be expected. The comedians had PG and R shows, all
were very good. The piano player (Ronnie) at Sam's was wonderful.

The Art auctions were great, even though we didn't buy the great
deal they had, 50 Thomas Kinkades for $5,000.

Serenity deck was nice for the adults. The pools were too small
for the number of people on the ship. We loved the cantilevered hot
tubs on deck 5.

In St. Thomas and St. Maartin, the Oasis was the only other ship
in port, which was nice. St. Thomas, we took a taxi to Sapphire
Beach. It was nice, $10 per person each way, with good rum punch.
St. Maartin, used water taxi, $6 round trip unlimited, to
Philipsburg and public beach.

It was some of the calmest, smoothest sailing I've had.There
weren't a whole lot of kids onboard. Zone debarkation went
smoothly, sadly off the ship by 8:15.

Everything New! Slide was great, laser show and Giant LED movie
screen was a nice touch, more than enough hot tubs, Show's were
good, nice staterooms, boarding and debarkation process smooth,
staff was very pleasant and courteous.

Con's There was definitely a smell, not a continuous smell but
one that drifted in from time to time, maybe based on the wind
conditions? Pools was too small for that large a ship, Grand Buffet
was ok but have seen better. Mark up rate on everything from soft
drinks to excursions was over inflated. The price for a 7 day all
you can drink soda card is $36 for child, $48 dollars for adult.
Can anyone drink that much soda in 7 days? Why does it cost
approximately $2300 dollars for 46 people (46 people at approx. $50
dollars a head) to go to Goff's Caye, snorkeling for 3 hours? Do
those ferry boats use that much fuel? We went to a good show but
was held up at the door trying to get out. The exits were blocked
by BINGO participants rushing in for the “GOOD SEATS”,
I guess. Not very organized

Before I begin, let me just say that this review is based on the
time and accomodations listed. This is what we experienced on OUR
cruise. The review is not intended to give an over all DECISION on
a cruise on the Carnival Dream so PLEASE don't respond or E-Mail me
with negative remarks about OUR experiences on OUR cruise.

EMBARKATION: Carnival finally has gotten it when it comes to
embarking. It is just a shame that the Port Authority at Port
Canaveral is slacking. We stood on a line for 10 minutes just to be
told we had to go to another line because her line didn't
facilitate check on luggage with wheels. Would have been nice if
they posted signs or had someone walking down the line explaining
that to people!! We only waited on the next line for 10 minutes,
but when your standing in front of the ship, you just want to get
ON!! Carnival boards by a "Zone" system. When you check in, you are
given a zone card with a number on it and you wait for that zone to
be called. When we

checked in, we were given zone 14. They were calling Zone 10 at the
time. It took no more than 15 minutes for them to get to Zone 14.
We actually boarded at the same time my brother and Sister-In-Law
(who were Platnum, VIP members) boarded. We arrived at the port a
little before 11am and were onboard about 11:30am. Not too shabby!!

THE CARNIVAL DREAM (Initial Impression) : WHOA!!! What a
vessel!!! She was beautiful, clean and well maintained (there were
crew members power washing, painting etc.). We entered into the
Atrium, with 4 glass lifts (elevators) and, well, SHINE!! That's
the best way to explain it!! There was a crew member at the end of
the gangway to lead us on where to go to wait for the cabins to be
ready. The cabins will NOT be ready before 1:30pm. And, if you are
like me, tested that theory by going to deck 2 where my cabin was
just to be confronted by a fire door that had a sign that said the
cabins won't be ready until 1:30pm!!! A test I FAILED!!! So, up to
the buffet on the Lido deck I went.

THE BUFFET: Well, since I've been on 4 other Carnival cruises
before, I'll rate it on a scale of 1-10 in comparison to the other
ships. It was a "9"!! And that is great when you factor in that the
crew is feeding a human "farm" of 3000 passengers!!! The food was
basic "Carnival", but was fast and hot which was appreciated since
the excitement of the mornings rush kept us from eating. The
breakfast buffet was slow (again...3000 people) and timing is the
key! Such is lunch. Want the breakfast buffet, go after 8:30am.
Want the lunch buffet, go before 11am or after 1pm. And if those
times don't work for you, Order In (Room Service)!! They have some
basic yet very tasty offerings for delivery to your cabin. OR, you
can go to the Pasta Bar located on deck 11 AFT where you can have a
sit down italian meal delivered directly to your table (they close
at 1:30pm). There is so much food being served throughout the day,
TRUST ME, you won't go hungry!!!

ROOM SERVICE: Plain and simple, fill out the card in your cabin
requesting what you want before 12am and hang it on the outside of
your door and "POOF", your tray shows up at the time you requested
the next morning!! A tip of about $2 is MY norm. Got no small cash?
No worries, just add the tip to the receipt you sign when your
order is delivered. It will be charged to your S&S card. You
can order room service 24hrs. a day. The Menu is in the book in
your cabin.

(Hidden Observation Deck, Don't Tell Anyone)!!! : Go to the Lido
Deck (Deck 10, Port or Starboard side) and go as far forward as you
can go, down the stateroom hallways, turn right (or left) and go
through the 2 doors. The rest is up to YOU!! :)

OUR CABIN (Cove Cabin) : FINALLY, were able to go to our
cabin...at 1:30pm on the button!! We never had a Cove Cabin before,
but have had balcony cabins in the past so we really didn't know
what to expect. To be honest, the cabin did seem a little bit
bigger than the standard balcony cabins we have had in the past. We
found out that the Cove's balconies were actually 10 Sq. Ft. larger
than the standard balconies. And we noticed it!! They are VERY
private and close to the water. We did notice bats at night flying
around the lifeboats (even when way out to sea). Guess they were
staying in the lifeboats. My brother was on the Port side of the
ship (mid-ship like us on the same deck) and said he didn't see
any. No biggie though, they didn't bother us one bit and stayed
about 25 feet from the ship. The ODD numbered cabins are on the
STARBOARD (right) side of the ship and the EVEN numbered are on the
PORT (left) side.

THE CRIMSON DINING ROOM: We opted for the "Your Time Dining" and
it was convienent. This dining room is for the "Your Time Dining"
passengers ONLY! If you have assigned seating for dining, you WILL
be turned away. After the 3rd day we met "Conrad", a waiter that
worked the left side front of the dining room. We asked for him
every night after. He was efficient and VERY personable. We had to
wait for him on some nights (they give you a pager if you want to
wait) but the wait was worth it. The food came slow though
(AGAIN---MANY PEOPLE) but that was NOT the fault of the dining room
staff. They can only feed you when they have the food sent to THEM.
If you want to go to a show, plan your time accordingly. Allow 1
hour or a little more to dine from appitizers to dessert. If you
have Your Time Dining, and have Conrad as a waiter...just tell him
"Rocky" sent you...he'll remember and probably laugh!!

THE SHOW(s): Only went to 2. The name of the 1st one skips my
mind but I do remember that the female singers STRONG voice was
over modulated (LOUD) and the sound crew didn't compensate for it.
It was like she was screaming at you. If you want to see a REALLY
funny show, see the "Magic Bob" show on Wednesday. Make sure you
wear your Depends. He's gonna have you laughing so hard, your gonna
need them!!!!

THE CASINO: WOW, How they have changed on the Carnival ships.
And NOT for the better!!! I had always been used to hearing the
"Ching, Ching, Ching" of my winnings coming from the bottom of my
slot machine. Sorry folks...those days are GONE!!! Now, you insert
your S&S card into the machine and any winnings you get are
"deposited" onto your S&S card. You have to take your card to
the casino cashier when your done or before the end of the cruise
to get your winnings or GUESS WHAT???? That's right boy's and
girl's...you LOSE IT!!! It seems that this is only one of the ways
that the Carnival corporation is getting less personal.

THE STAFF: From the Pursers Desk (Guest Services) to the crew on
the deck, it was hit and miss. But like with other cruises, not
just Carnival, we realize that these VERY hard working people, from
your room stewerds to the dining room staff as well as those you
see maybe once throughout the cruise, that are away from their
families for 6 to 9 months at a time and working 16 to 18 hour
shifts have BAD days!!! Like we do!! And when we did come across a
crew member that was having a bad day, we would just dismiss it.
Think about that!! Away from your home and your family for 6 to 9
months at a time. Think you would be smiling everyday? Their
humans, NOT ROBOTS so if you come across a crew member with a less
than favorable attitude...GET OVER IT!!!

DISEMBARKING: Again, Carnival has evolved! We docked at 6am and
were off at 7:30am. They also disembark by zones (which is
indicated on the luggage tag you get from your room stewerd the
last night). Took all of about 15 minutes to get our luggage.

IN A NUTSHELL: Would I sail the "Dream" again? Without question.
Would I reccomend the "Dream" to a friend? YES! Now, The BIG
question..."Is Carnival getting better"? Answer...NO! I have found
that the line is becoming less personal as time goes on. There were
alot of amenities that Carnival offered in the past to past guest's
as well as to new guest's that no longer exist. To the new cruiser,
it goes unnoticied. But to the veteran Carnival guest, the
short-comings shine like a beacon. Things like the picture of the
ship placemat you had gotten on the last night of the cruise from
the dining staff are gone. I have a collection of 4 framed and
hanging on my wall from past cruises. The announcements the Captain
used to make at every port, No More, at least not on the Dream. If
you are a new cruiser, or even a past cruiser with motion sickness
problems, the Dream is for you. There was NO...and I mean NO
movement of the ship for the total cruise. But if you are prone to
seasickness, get a cabin, like we did, that is mid-ship in all
aspects. You will NOT be dissipointed cruising on this ship, "IF"
you keep in mind what I have mentioned. If you want to or are
booked on this ship, plan to have a GREAT time!!!

If you have any questions about our sailing on the Carnival
Dream, or about the Dream in general, Please feel free to respond
to this post or E-Mail me at timh1111@cfl.rr.com.

This review is for all you cruisers booked or on the fence about
booking a cruise on Carnival's Dream and addresses a number of
issues reported by the "doom and gloom" cruisers who have written
negative reviews. Many people set the bar way too high for their
cruises and are setting themselves up for disappointment and
failure. A good cruise experience is ultimately determined by good
planning, execution, flexibility, and a sense of humor. If you are
lackadaisical about choosing your stateroom location and leave it
up to the person booking your cruise and discover that your
stateroom is right above the disco, that's not good planning on
your part. If you cruise during spring break, in the summer or on
holidays, expect lots of children and packs of teenagers roaming
the ship at all hours of the day and night. Flexibility is the key
when it comes to eating - don't eat at prime hours when the lines
are long, eat a little earlier or a little later - THERE ARE NO
LINES. As far as the sewage smell on the

Dream, I detected it only once and it was quick and gone in
seconds.

I live in Florida and it is an easy drive to Port Canaveral. If
you are flying into Orlando, it is approximately 40 minutes to the
Port. We arrived at 10:35 a.m., dropped off our luggage with the
Porters, parked our car and went through Security with our
carry-on. At Port Canaveral, you pay for parking when you exit the
parking garage at the end of your cruise ($15/day). The parking
area is directly across the street from the ship and a very short
walk. I am Platinum with Carnival and was directed to the VIP
lounge for check-in. Our small group was escorted onto the ship at
11:00 a.m. and eating at The Gathering and downing my first beer at
11:15 a.m. We had plenty of time between lunch and sail away to
tour the ship. Our rooms were available at 1:30 p.m. The safety
briefing was around 3:30 p.m. and will be in your assigned muster
location (Encore Lounge for us), you don't have to wear or bring
your life jacket. We had a balcony room on the Verandah deck, Room
8288, great location and just enough movement at night to lull us
to sleep. Just a quick note to seasoned cruisers on Carnival, our
group had requested assigned main dining at 6:00 p.m. On all my
other cruises on the Conquest class ships, the passengers assigned
main dining were seated in the forward dining room off the Atrium
lobby but on the Dream, the 6:00 p.m. seating is assigned to the
aft Scarlet dining room, either Deck 3 or 4. The décor on
the Dream is bright, colorful, and sassy, what else would you
expect from Carnival, I loved it; jump started my senses every
day.

Chair hogs: yes, there are and always will be chair hogs but if
you stay away from the main pool area on the Lido deck, there are
tons of chairs available. The Serenity area forward is o.k. but
this area fills up very quickly and the only advantage to sitting
here is the absence of children.

All common areas of the Dream are spotless along with the
staterooms, dining rooms, etc. Our Room Steward kept our ice bucket
full, emptied our refrigerator so we could load it with the items
we brought on board, make the obligatory towel animals and took
very good care of us. Every staff member, without exception, had a
smile and a hello for us wherever we went on the ship.

O.K., let's talk about food. First, we ordered from room service
every morning (nothing like a cup of hot coffee and Danish to clear
out the cobwebs) - they were always on time. Don't forget to bring
some $1 bills to tip the steward who delivers your order. We ate
breakfast in the Scarlet dining room and at The Gathering, I
preferred The Gathering for breakfast, fresh made to order omelets
were great (no lines if you are an early riser) and a delicious
sausage in puff pastry that is making my mouth water just thinking
about it. If you like a little slower pace and don't want to stand
in line with a tray, the Scarlet dining room was fine. They also
have pastries at the Patisserie on Deck 5 in the morning. For
lunch, we tried all the food venues on the ship - the buffet was
always good and offered different carved meats every day - roast
beef, lamb, pork, ham, turkey. The Scarlet dining room was open for
table service lunch. The deli, as all Carnival past guests know, is
very good and we tried the pastrami, corned beef, turkey, and ham
(and mixed and matched all of them). I didn't care for the Indian
Tandoor food, the hot dogs and hamburgers from the Grill were
always good, the pizza was just o.k., likewise the Mongolian grill
and Burrito bar, but that is my personal taste. At Ocean Plaza
(Deck 5) they offered the Lanai Bar-BQ outside, sliders, hot dogs,
salads, quesadillas, etc. Inside past the Patisserie, they had a
salad bar set up and turkey wraps. At 5:00 p.m., they opened the
Sushi Bar. The Fresh Pasta station on Deck 11 Aft (2nd floor of The
Gathering) was our absolute favorite. You check in with a
receptionist who hands you a paper menu, pencil and number. Make
your choices from the list of pastas - farfalle, penne, linguine,
then choose your sauce - pomodoro, meat, Alfredo, then choose your
add-ons - chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, etc., choose bread and
freshly made Caesar salad - hand in your order to the Chefs in the
open kitchen, sit down with your number and someone will bring your
food piping hot, freshly made and delicious. The Pasta station
quickly became our favorite place to have lunch. The food at all
the above mentioned venues is free. I managed to squeeze in Tea
Time in the Crimson Dining Room and highly recommend this to
everyone. It is a relaxing break from the high energy activities of
the ship and the specialty desserts were fantastic - dense
chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, apple crumble, fresh fruit
tart, delicious little scones, etc. The food in the formal dining
room at night was great and always delivered hot and fresh. Sunday
was formal night and lobster was served. Our head waiter and his
assistant were attentive, personable and fun and made our dining
experience truly enjoyable. If you can't find food to satisfy you
at the buffet on the Dream, there are lots more food opportunities
to try - experiment, have fun. The Casino bar was great and they
made some dynamite dirty martinis. Every day, I purchased a
chocolate milk shake ($3.95) from the Patisserie, walked over to
the bar, bought a shot of Kahlua and mixed them together, yum.

For all you smokers', smoking is only permitted in the Dance
Club and Sam's Piano Bar. Smoking in the Casino is limited and
permitted while playing at designated slot machines and table
games. Cigars and pipes are permitted on the Lanai, Port side. We
are not spa people so did not avail ourselves of the exercise
machines or spa facility but this area is smaller on the Dream and
was always crowded.

Now, as far as the shows in the Encore Theater, in my opinion,
the show that everyone is raving about, "Dancin In The Street" has
way too much hip hop, rap, and break dancing to appeal to a broad
audience - teenagers will love it. The show we enjoyed more was
"Get Ready". But, whichever show you attend, go early, those chair
hogs are out in full force. We attended an adult comedy show in the
Burgundy Lounge which was just o.k., nothing to lose sleep over. At
night, there is live entertainment all around the ship, you're sure
to find one you like - karaoke was a laugh.

Nassau: we took a taxi ($4/person, one way) to Atlantis and
gambled in their casino and enjoyed some complimentary Sombreros,
yum!! St. Thomas: booked an excursion thru Carnival, "Castaway
Barefoot Sail & Snorkel to Shipwreck Cove", nice day, fun crew,
but the water was cold - the unlimited rum punch on the return was
good. St. Maarten: took a taxi ($6/person, one way) to Orient
Beach. The beach was gorgeous but the water, again, was cold. It
started to rain so we went back to the ship, had lunch and took the
ferry downtown to browse the shops and have some $1 beers.

Debarkation was fast, very well organized and efficient. We had
an assigned 7:15 a.m. debarkation but had plenty of time to enjoy
our last room service coffee and Danish on our balcony.

Yes, the Dream is big but manageable once you know the layout
and you will find your sweet spots all around the ship where you
are most comfortable - lots of hiding places on the outer and inner
decks. Be adventurous, try different foods and beverages, go to the
disco and dance your heart out (no one is looking at you, they're
too busy having a great time), talk to strangers, stop looking for
negatives - you're on a cruise, you don't have to cook or clean,
someone is making your bed every day and serving you with a smile,
put your feet up, relax, enjoy the moment, life is too precious to
be finding fault with every little thing, let yourself go and have
fun. If something does go wrong, flexibility and a sense of humor
will carry you through. The Purser's Desk staff was always pleasant
and eager to please. I would give anything right now to be on the
Dream as I sit soaking my aching feet from standing on them all day
in work - I would give anything right now to be holding a cold
martini in my hand at the Casino bar listening to some great music
- .I would give anything right now to be eating that sweet lobster
- I would give anything right now to lay my head on those comfy
pillows and be rocked to sleep - I would give anything right now to
be you, the next lucky person to be sailing on the Dream...Dream
On.